Integration of limbic self-neuromodulation with psychotherapy for complex post-traumatic stress disorder: treatment rationale and case study.

Treatment Rationale: Exposure to repeated sexual trauma, particularly during childhood, often leads to protracted mental health problems. Childhood adversity is specifically associated with complex posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) presentation, which is particularly tenacious and treatment refractory, and features severe emotion dysregulation. Augmentation approaches have been suggested to enhance treatment efficacy in PTSD thus integrating first-line psychotherapy with mechanistically informed self-neuromodulation procedures (i.e. neurofeedback) may pave the way to enhanced clinical outcomes. A central neural mechanism of PTSD and emotion dysregulation involves amygdala hyperactivity that can be volitionally regulated by neurofeedback. We outline a treatment rationale that includes a detailed justification for the potential of combining psychotherapy and NF and delineate mechanisms of change. We illustrate key processes of reciprocal interactions between neurofeedback engagement and therapeutic goals.Case Study: We describe a clinical case of a woman with complex PTSD due to early and repetitive childhood sexual abuse using adjunctive neurofeedback as an augmentation to an ongoing, stable, traditional treatment plan. The woman participated in (a) ten sessions of neurofeedback by the use of an fMRI-inspired EEG model of limbic related activity (Amygdala Electrical-Finger-Print; AmygEFP-NF), (b) traditional weekly individual psychotherapy, (c) skills group. Before and after NF training period patient was blindly assessed for PTSD symptoms, followed by a 1, 3- and 6-months self-report follow-up. We demonstrate mechanisms of change as well as the clinical effectiveness of adjunctive treatment as indicated by reduced PTSD symptoms and improved daily functioning within this single case.Conclusions: We outline an integrative neuropsychological framework for understanding the unique mechanisms of change conferring value to conjoining NF applications with trauma-focused psychotherapy in complex PTSD.

Self-neuromodulation procedures that regulates limbic-related activity in adjunction to therapy show clinical effectivity in complex PTSD.We present an integrative perspective of neurofeedback embedded in psychotherapy, illustrated by a single case report.A single case provides an illustration of the potential utility of multifaced treatment including psychotherapy with adjunctive neurofeedback.

Amygdala-related electroencephalogram neurofeedback as add-on therapy for treatment-resistant childhood sexual abuse posttraumatic stress disorder: feasibility study.

AIM: Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) among women is an alarmingly prevalent traumatic experience that often leads to debilitating and treatment-refractory posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), raising the need for novel adjunctive therapies. Neuroimaging investigations systematically report that amygdala hyperactivity is the most consistent and reliable neural abnormality in PTSD and following childhood abuse, raising the potential of implementing volitional neural modulation using neurofeedback (NF) aimed at down-regulating amygdala activity. This study aimed to reliably probe limbic activity but overcome the limited applicability of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) NF by using a scalable electroencephalogram NF probe of amygdala-related activity, termed amygdala electrical-finger-print (amyg-EFP) in a randomized controlled trial. METHOD: Fifty-five women with CSA-PTSD who were in ongoing intensive trauma-focused psychotherapy for a minimum of 1 year but still met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) PTSD criteria were randomized to either 10 add-on sessions of amyg-EFP-NF training (test group) or continuing psychotherapy (control group). Participants were blindly assessed for PTSD symptoms before and after the NF training period, followed by self-reported clinical follow-up at 1, 3, and 6 months, as well as one session of amygdala real-time fMRI-NF before and after NF training period. RESULTS: Participants in the test group compared with the control group demonstrated a marginally significant immediate reduction in PTSD symptoms, which progressively improved during the follow-up period. In addition, successful neuromodulation during NF training was demonstrated. CONCLUSION: This feasibility study for patients with treatment-resistant CSA-PTSD indicates that amyg-EFP-NF is a viable and efficient intervention.

The long-term course and prognosis of postpartum depression: a retrospective longitudinal cohort study.

The purpose is to investigate the natural course and long-term prognosis of postpartum depression (PPD). In this retrospective longitudinal cohort study, mothers diagnosed as either suffering from PPD or without PPD were reassessed 5-8 years thereafter by a semi-structured interview and their charts were reviewed for past psychiatric illness prior to the index (initial) episode and for new-onset episodes in the following years. Present psychiatric state was also evaluated by interview and questionnaires. Sixty-five mothers with and 35 without past PPD underwent the full assessment. A total of 66.2% of mothers with past PPD had any axis I psychopathology before their index PPD episode, compared with only 8.6% in the non-PPD group (p < 0.001, φ = .55). Furthermore, 37.2% of the females who had a history of PPD and experienced subsequent childbirths during the follow-up years, developed at least one new episode of PPD. Throughout the 5 years subsequent to the index PPD episode, 42.5% of the PPD group compared with only 3.7% for the non-PPD group developed a new episode of depression (p < 0.001). Lastly, reported psychopathology was higher and functional level was significantly worse in the PPD group at the time of reassessment. Females who develop an episode of PPD show a high degree of subsequent psychopathology and unfavorable prognosis. Clinicians treating females for PPD should consider a longer treatment continuation phase in an effort to prevent further psychopathology and a closer follow-up program.

Reduced emotion regulatory selection flexibility in post-traumatic stress disorder: converging performance-based evidence from two PTSD populations.

BACKGROUND: Contemporary views of emotion dysregulation in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) highlight reduced ability to flexibly select regulatory strategies according to differing situational demands. However, empirical evidence of reduced regulatory selection flexibility in PTSD is lacking. Multiple studies show that healthy individuals demonstrate regulatory selection flexibility manifested in selecting attentional disengagement regulatory strategies (e.g. distraction) in high-intensity emotional contexts and selecting engagement meaning change strategies (e.g. reappraisal) in low-intensity contexts. Accordingly, we hypothesized that PTSD populations will show reduced regulatory selection flexibility manifested in diminished increase in distraction (over reappraisal) preference as intensity increases from low to high intensity. METHODS: Study 1 compared student participants with high (N = 22) post-traumatic symptoms (PTS, meeting the clinical cutoff for PTSD) and participants with low (N = 22) post-traumatic symptoms. Study 2 compared PTSD diagnosed women (N = 31) due to childhood sexual abuse and matched non-clinical women (N = 31). In both studies, participants completed a well-established regulatory selection flexibility performance-based paradigm that involves selecting between distraction and reappraisal to regulate negative emotional words of low and high intensity. RESULTS: Beyond demonstrating adequate psychometric properties, Study 1 confirmed that relative to the low PTS group, the high PTS group presented reduced regulatory selection flexibility (p = 0.01, ŋ²â‚š= 0.14). Study 2 critically extended findings of Study 1, in showing similar reduced regulatory selection flexibility in a diagnosed PTSD population, relative to a non-clinical population (p = 0.002, ŋ²â‚š= 0.114). CONCLUSIONS: Two studies provide converging evidence for reduced emotion regulatory selection flexibility in two PTSD populations.

Limbic self-neuromodulation as a novel treatment option for emotional dysregulation in premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD); a proof-of-concept study.

AIM: To assess the efficacy of a novel neurofeedback (NF) method, targeting limbic activity, to treat emotional dysregulation related to premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). METHODS: We applied a NF probe targeting limbic activity using a functional magnetic resonance imaging-inspired electroencephalogram model (termed Amyg-EFP-NF) in a double-blind randomized controlled trial. A frontal alpha asymmetry probe (AAS-NF), served as active control. Twenty-seven participants diagnosed with PMDD (mean age = 33.57 years, SD = 5.67) were randomly assigned to Amyg-EFP-NF or AAS-NF interventions with a 2:1 ratio, respectively. The treatment protocol consisted of 11 NF sessions through three menstrual cycles, and a follow-up assessment 3 months thereafter. The primary outcome measure was improvement in the Revised Observer Version of the Premenstrual Tension Syndrome Rating Scale (PMTS-OR). RESULTS: A significant group by time effect was observed for the core symptom subscale of the PMTS-OR, with significant improvement observed at follow-up for the Amyg-EFP group compared with the AAS group [F(1, 15)=4.968, P = 0.042]. This finding was specifically robust for reduction in anger [F(1, 15) = 22.254, P < 0.001]. A significant correlation was found between learning scores and overall improvement in core symptoms (r = 0.514, P = 0.042) suggesting an association between mechanism of change and clinical improvement. CONCLUSION: Our preliminary findings suggest that Amyg-EFP-NF may serve as an affordable and accessible non-invasive treatment option for emotional dysregulation in women suffering from PMDD. Our main limitations were the relatively small number of participants and the lack of a sham-NF placebo arm.

Attention Bias Modification Treatment Versus a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor Or Waiting List Control for Social Anxiety Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVE: Social anxiety disorder is common and impairing. The efficacy of pharmacotherapy is moderate, highlighting the need for alternative therapies. This study compared the efficacy of gaze-contingent music reward therapy (GC-MRT), an eye-tracking-based attention bias modification treatment, with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) treatment or a waiting list control condition in reducing social anxiety disorder symptoms. Superior clinical effects of similar magnitude were expected for the active treatments relative to the control condition. METHODS: Participants were 105 treatment-seeking adults with social anxiety disorder, randomly allocated to 12 weeks of GC-MRT, SSRI, or waiting list control. Mean changes in clinician-rated and self-reported social anxiety symptoms from baseline to mid- and posttreatment assessments were compared between groups using generalized estimating equations. Changes in attentional dwell time on threat were also examined. RESULTS: Analysis indicated a significant differential reduction in symptoms between groups. Patients in the GC-MRT and SSRI groups had lower social anxiety scores at the mid- and posttreatment assessments compared with patients in the waiting list group. The efficacy of the active treatments did not differ. Only patients in the GC-MRT group showed reduction in dwell time on threat from baseline to posttreatment assessment. CONCLUSIONS: Eye-tracking-based attention bias modification is an acceptable and effective treatment option for social anxiety disorder.

[TREATMENT OF SEROTONIN AND NOREPINEPHRINE REUPTAKE INHIBITORS (SSRIS AND SNRIS) DURING PREGNANCY AND LACTATION].

INTRODUCTION: Women are more likely to develop depression during the perinatal period than at any other time in their lives. Studies from recent years raise significant concerns regarding the potential of a depressive disorder in the pregnant mother to cause adverse obstetric results for the mother and the newborn. As antidepressants can penetrate the placenta to different degrees, concern has been raised regarding their teratogenic potential. In recent years various inconsistent and ambiguous reports specifying mild risks to the fetus and newborn from exposure to serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) during pregnancy have been published. This paper provides a review of current medical knowledge regarding the pharmacological treatment with common antidepressants such as SSRIs and SNRIs in pregnant women. Based on this review we also present treatment and follow-up recommendations of the major published guidelines for the treatment of serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs and SNRIs) during pregnancy for the medical care providers.

Cognitive processing of emotional information during menstrual phases in women with and without postpartum depression: differential sensitivity to changes in gonadal steroids.

Gonadal steroids (GSs) have been repeatedly shown to play a central role in the onset of postpartum depression (PPD). The underlying mechanisms, however, are only partially understood. We investigated the relationship between cognitive processing of emotional information and naturally occurring hormonal fluctuations in women with and without previous PPD. Euthymic, parous women, with a history (hPPD, n=32) and without a history (nhPPD, n=43) of PPD, were assessed during late-follicular and late-luteal phases. Participants were administered cognitive tasks assessing attention (dot-probe; emotional Stroop), evaluation (self-referential encoding) and incidental recall, and self-report measures. Menstrual-phase-specific differences were found between late-follicular vs. late-luteal phases among hPPD only, with depression-associated patterns observed in the late-luteal phase on the self-referential encoding and incidental recall task and emotional Stroop task, but not on the dot-probe task. No main effect for menstrual phase was found on any of the tasks or questionnaires, apart from the brooding component of rumination. Women with hPPD demonstrate a differential bias in cognitive processing of emotional information that is menstrual phase dependent, and did not correspond to similar difference in mood symptoms. These biases may reflect sensitivity to gonadal steroid fluctuations that are associated with PPD.

Mother brain is wired for social moments.

Reorganization of the maternal brain upon childbirth triggers the species-typical maternal social behavior. These brief social moments carry profound effects on the infant's brain and likely have a distinct signature in the maternal brain. Utilizing a double-blind, within-subject oxytocin/placebo administration crossover design, mothers' brain was imaged twice using fMRI while observing three naturalistic maternal-infant contexts in the home ecology; 'unavailable', 'unresponsive', and 'social', when mothers engaged in synchronous peek-a-boo play. The social condition elicited greater neural response across the human caregiving network, including amygdala, VTA, hippocampus, insula, ACC, and temporal cortex. Oxytocin impacted neural response primarily to the social condition and attenuated differences between social and non-social stimuli. Greater temporal consistency emerged in the 'social' condition across the two imaging sessions, particularly in insula, amygdala, and TP. Findings describe how mother's brain varies by caregiving experiences and gives salience to moments of social synchrony that support infant development and brain maturation.

Repeated oral ketamine for out-patient treatment of resistant depression: randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, proof-of-concept study.

BACKGROUND: Ketamine has been demonstrated to improve depressive symptoms.AimsEvaluation of efficacy, safety and feasibility of repeated oral ketamine for out-patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). METHOD: In a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, proof-of-concept trial, 41 participants received either 1 mg/kg oral ketamine or placebo thrice weekly for 21 days (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02037503). Evaluation was performed at baseline, 40 and 240 min post administration and on days 3, 7, 14 and 21. The main outcome measure was change in Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). RESULTS: Twenty-two participants were randomised to the ketamine group, and 19 to the control, with 82.5% (n = 33) completing the study. In the ketamine group, a decrease in depressive symptoms was evident at all time points, whereas in the control group a decrease was evident only 40 min post administration. The reduction in MADRS score on day 21 was 12.75 in the ketamine group versus 2.49 points with placebo (P < 0.001). Six participants in the ketamine group (27.3%) achieved remission compared with none of the controls (P < 0.05). The number needed to treat for remission was 3.7. Side-effects were mild and transient. CONCLUSIONS: Repeated oral ketamine produced rapid and persistent amelioration of depressive symptoms in out-patients with TRD, and was well tolerated. These results suggest that add-on oral ketamine may hold significant promise in the care of patients suffering from TRD in the community.Declaration of interestNone.

Prophylactic SSRI treatment for women suffering from mood and anxiety symptoms undergoing in vitro fertilization-a prospective placebo-controlled study.

To explore the mood protective effect of prophylactic SSRI treatment on women undergoing IVF suffering from moderate affective and anxiety symptoms. In a randomized double blind, placebo-controlled, parallel design study, 41 women diagnosed with an Adjustment Disorder, who were undergoing IVF treatments, were randomized into two groups; a study group (n = 22) administered escitalopram 10 mg/day, and a control group (n = 19) administered placebo for a total of 8 weeks before and during the IVF treatment cycle. Patients were assessed at the onset of drug treatment and at embryo transfer. The main outcome measure was the difference in mean score severity rating of depression and anxiety symptoms on the CES-D and Zung questionnaires between groups at the time of embryo transfer. Secondary outcome measures included the MHI rating subscales addressing aspects of psychological distress and coping. At the day of embryo transfer (6 weeks of drug treatment), the CES-D average score for the treatment group was 6.40 (6.71) and 27.47 (4.29) on the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, while the placebo group scored an average of 15.83 (8.69) and 33.17 (6.95) receptively. These findings were significant (p = .004, p = .015 receptively) and were endorsed by the scoring on the MHI questionnaire subscales. Short-term treatment with SSRI may serve as a prophylactic treatment against the perpetuation and possible worsening of depressive and anxiety symptoms in women undergoing IVF treatments. Further studies concerning pharmacological interventions in larger samples and studies addressing screening for psychological stress indicators in this population are warranted.

Sexual Abuse and its Relation to Chronic Pain among Women from a Methadone Maintenance Clinic versus a Sexual Abuse Treatment Center.

To determine the effect of sexual abuse history on chronic pain and its relation to opioid addiction and methadone maintenance treatment (MMT), we studied current women MMT patients, and women patients from a sexual abuse treatment center with no history of opioid addiction. Questionnaires included Chronic Pain, Chronic Severe Pain, the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale, the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES), and the Structured Interview for Disorders of Extreme Stress (complex-PTSD). Chronic severe pain was most prevalent among sexually abused women with no history of opioid addiction (64% of 25), followed by sexually abused MMT women (30.9% of 68), and MMT women with no history of sexual abuse (25% of 8, p = 0.01). Pain severity correlated with dissociation and complex-PTSD scores. The sexually abused non-MMT women had higher rates of high dissociation scores (DES ≥ 30) and complex-PTSD, but fewer obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms (scored ≥16) than the MMT sexually abused women. Chronic pain was found to be highly prevalent among sexually abused women, independent of being methadone-maintained with an addiction history. The high known prevalence of chronic pain among MMT patients, which may be attributable to opioid-induced hyperalgesia, may partially reflect the sexual abuse history, and should be targeted in future studies evaluating pain indices.

Psychiatric comorbidity differences between women with history of childhood sexual abuse who are methadone-maintained former opiate addicts and non-addicts.

Following our finding of high rates of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) among methadone maintained (MMT) former opiate addict women with a history of childhood sexual abuse, we compared 68 MMT sexually abused women to 48 women from a Sexual Abuse Treatment Center (SATC) without a history of opiate addiction, for clinical-OCD (Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale), dissociation (Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES), complex-post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Structured Interview for Disorders of Extreme Stress - Non-Other Specify), sexual PTSD (the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale) and trauma events history (Life Event Inventory). MMT patients were treated for longer periods and were older and less educated. Clinical OCD was more prevalent among the MMT patients (66.2% vs. 30.4%, respectively), while complex-PTSD and high dissociation score (DES≥30) were more prevalent among the non-addicts (46.9% vs. 19.1%, and 57.1% vs. 11.8% respectively). The high rate of OCD among sexually abused MMT women was not found in women who are sexually abused non-addicts. As dissociation was rare among the MMT group, it may just be that the opioids (either as street-drugs or as MMT) serve as an external coping mechanism when the access to the internal one is not possible. Future study about OCD and dissociation before entry to MMT are needed.

The Prevalence of Alcohol, Substance and Cigarettes Exposure among Pregnant Women within a General Hospital and the Compliance to Brief Intervention for Exposure Reduction.

BACKGROUND: Compliance and impact of a time-limited brief intervention (BI) for reducing exposure to alcohol, psychoactive substances and nicotine among women admitted to the hospital during pregnancy were assessed. METHODS: Pregnant women (gestational week ≤30) from a medical center pre-delivery, emergency and high-risk units were interviewed about alcohol (AUDIT and TWEAK questionnaires), smoking (modified Fagerström) and psychoactive substance (modified ASI). All exposed women were invited to participate in a BI and underwent follow-up. Characteristics and rate of exposure were compared to a "standard-group" of non-selected women who arrived to the hospital directly solely to give birth. RESULTS: Forty-six of the 108 study participants (42.6%) were exposed to smoking (85%), alcohol (41%), or drugs (39%), and 41 underwent the BI. Self-report of exposure was reduced significantly following BI but re-elevated post-delivery. Women belonging to the "standardgroup" were better educated, had lower lifetime rates of exposure, and gave birth to newborns with higher birth weights (3254.7±506.9 g vs. 2650.8±785.6 g for the study group). CONCLUSION: Compliance of the exposed women to BI was high and contributed to exposure reduction during pregnancy but relapsed following delivery.

Psychological response and cortisol reactivity to in vitro fertilization treatment in women with a lifetime anxiety or unipolar mood disorder diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE: Knowledge regarding the emotional and physiologic response of women with psychiatric disorders undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments is rather limited. We evaluated psychological adjustment and cortisol reactivity to IVF treatment in women with a lifetime diagnosis of a unipolar mood or anxiety disorder compared to those without such a diagnosis. METHOD: Women undergoing IVF treatments (N = 121) were interviewed from January 2006 to December 2007 to assess for the presence of a history of a lifetime DSM-IV-TR unipolar mood or anxiety disorder. They were evaluated prospectively at baseline, at ovulation, and before the pregnancy test. Primary outcome measures included assessments of depressive and anxiety symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, respectively) and plasma cortisol levels. RESULTS: Of 108 participants included in the study, 19.4% (n = 21) were determined to have a lifetime Axis I unipolar mood or anxiety diagnosis. Women with lifetime Axis I psychopathology showed significantly greater symptom elevation for depression (F2,194 = 10.97, P < .001) and for anxiety (F2,194 = 3.4813, P = .033) compared to the group without psychopathology. A different physiologic pattern was observed for cortisol response: whereas the group without psychopathology responded physiologically to the stressful treatment with continuously elevated cortisol levels, a blunted cortisol response was observed for the group with lifetime psychopathology (F2,200 = 2.9, P = .05). CONCLUSIONS: Women diagnosed with a lifetime unipolar mood or anxiety disorder developed robust symptom exacerbation during IVF treatment compared to women without an Axis I diagnosis. Conversely, the women with a lifetime diagnosis are characterized by a blunted cortisol response, indicating a pattern of dissociation between the robust increase in anxiety and depression and cortisol response to the acute psychological stress. This study emphasizes the need for a psychiatric screening prior to IVF treatment and for the utilization of preventive psychiatric and psychological interventions.

One stop screening for multiple cancers: the experience of an integrated cancer prevention center.

BACKGROUND: Cancer is a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Screening is a key strategy for reducing cancer morbidity and mortality. METHODS: We aimed to describe the experience of an integrated cancer prevention center in screening an asymptomatic population for the presence of neoplasia. One-thousand consecutive asymptomatic, apparently healthy adults, aged 20-80 years, were screened for early detection of 11 common cancers that account for 70-80% of cancer mortality. RESULTS: Malignant and benign lesions were found in 2.4% and 7.1% of the screenees, respectively. The most common malignant lesions were in the gastrointestinal tract and breast followed by gynecological and skin. The compliance rate for the different screening procedures was considerably higher than the actual screening rate in the general Israeli population - 78% compared to 60% for mammography (p<0.001) and 39% compared to 16% for colonoscopy (p<0.001). Advanced age, family history of cancer and certain lifestyle parameters were associated with increased risk. Moreover, polymorphisms in the APC and CD24 genes indicated high cancer risk. When two of the polymorphisms existed in an individual, the risk for a neoplastic lesion was extremely high (OR 2.3 [95% CI 0.94-5.9]). CONCLUSIONS: One stop shop screening for 11 common cancers in the setting of a multidisciplinary outpatient clinic is feasible and can detect cancer at an early stage.

Cortisol response and desire to binge following psychological stress: comparison between obese subjects with and without binge eating disorder.

While stress and negative affect are known to precede "emotional eating", this relationship is not fully understood. The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between induced psychological stress, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity, and eating behavior in binge eating disorder (BED). The Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) was applied in obese participants with (n=8) and without BED (n=8), and normal weight controls (n=8). Psychological characteristics, eating-related symptoms, and cortisol secretion were assessed. Baseline stress, anxiety and cortisol measures were similar in all groups. At baseline desire to binge was significantly higher among the BED group. While the TSST induced an increase in cortisol levels, a blunted cortisol response was observed in the BED group. In the BED group, a positive correlation was found between cortisol (area under the curve) levels during the TSST and the change in VAS scores for desire to binge. Post-TSST desire to binge and sweet craving were significantly higher in the BED group and correlated positively with stress, anxiety, and cortisol response in the BED group only. These results suggest chronic down-regulation of the HPA axis in participants with BED, and a relationship between psychological stress, the acute activation of the HPA axis, and food craving.

The use of dehydroepiandrosterone in the treatment of hypoactive sexual desire disorder: a report of gender differences.

Data regarding the efficacy of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in the treatment of hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) are scarce and inconsistent. We aimed to determine possible gender differences in the efficacy of DHEA as a treatment for HDSS. Postmenopausal women (n=27), and men (n=21) with HSDD, were randomized to receive either DHEA 100 mg daily or placebo for 6 weeks in a controlled, double blind study. Primary outcome measures were sexual function questionnaires. Hormone serum levels of DHEAS, total and bioavailable testosterone, estradiol, and urine levels of DHEA and androsterone were also measured. Participants on active treatment showed a significant increase in circulating serum levels of DHEAS, while bioavailable testosterone levels increased in women only. In women only, significant interaction effects were observed for sexual arousal (p<0.05), satisfaction (p<0.05), and cognition (trend; p=0.06). For arousal, a significant improvement was observed for the DHEA treated group at 6 weeks (p=0.001). Significant correlations were observed between bioavailable T and sexual cognitions, arousal and orgasm, while DHEAS was correlated with satisfaction. In the men, significant correlations were observed between testosterone and arousal (r=.45), sexual drive (r=.50) and orgasm (r=.55). In women with HSDD, DHEA treatment had a significant beneficial effect on arousal, whereas no efficacy was demonstrated in men, indicating a possible gender difference. This improvement seems to be mediated via DHEA's metabolism to testosterone. Our positive results suggest that the neurosteroid DHEA may be effective as a treatment for women with HSDD if administered at a dose of at least 100 mg per day.

Posttraumatic growth, posttraumatic stress symptoms and mental health among coronary heart disease survivors.

The present study aimed to estimate posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and posttraumatic growth (PTG) among heart disease survivors and examine whether PTG moderates the association between PTSS and mental health. Data from 82 myocardial infarction and acute coronary artery bypass graft survivors (aged 46-82) was obtained at admission to a cardiac rehabilitation unit. Mental status was assessed by the PTSD Inventory, Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), Mental Health Inventory and Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL). 17.1 % of the participants suffered significantly from PTSS and most of the study sample (71.2 %) reported PTG. PTSS were positively associated with PTG and psychological distress and negatively with well-being and HRQOL. PTG moderated the association between PTSS and most mental health outcomes. We conclude that posttraumatic growth may attenuate the negative effect of posttraumatic stress symptoms on mental health.

Dehydroepiandrosterone treatment effects on weight, bone density, bone metabolism and mood in women suffering from anorexia nervosa-a pilot study.

We investigated the effects of the administration of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on weight, bone metabolism, bone density and clinical mood symptoms in outpatient Anorexia Nervosa (AN) patients. AN patients (n=26) were double-blindly randomized to receive DHEA (100mg) or placebo for 6 months. Outcome measures were bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and metabolism indexes, steroid hormones, and mood and eating disorder symptoms measured at baseline and at the 3 and 6 months follow-up visits. Mood and eating disorder symptoms were assessed monthly by the Beck Depression Inventory, Eating Disorder Inventory and Clinical Global Improvement Scales. No treatment or treatment by time interaction was observed for any bone density measures. Deoxypiridinolyne (DPD) was positively correlated with weight (P=0.02). An increase in body mass index (BMI) in the DHEA group was significantly higher at 4 months compared to the control group (P=0.05). Improvement of mood was significantly correlated with weight only in the DHEA group. Despite a significant decrease in DPD, no improvement in bone mineral density was detected. However, patients treated with DHEA benefited from a significant increase in BMI, which was positively correlated with improvement in mood.